Hostage By Him
by tamaranean-royalty
Summary: What if Starfire went forward in time again, but this time she stayed? Rewrite of How Long Is Forever from Nightwing's point of view. Chapter 3 up. R&R!
1. A Simple Question

A/N - Have a great time reading. I surely had a great time writting it.

Three, two, one. Sleep.

Sleep?

No, I'm not asleep. I'm still not asleep. It's roughly one in the morning but I just can't crash. I know why as well. I knew this evening when I found her. I knew that right now I wouldn't be able to sleep. I knew I'd be thinking about...her.

Starfire. Young Starfire. What an odd thing; to find her wondering around the snowy streets at that time of night...and that time of century.

And now I'm just laying here, thinking over and over again.

Silently I sat up and edged to the side of my bed. Why am I so anxious? You'd think that after so many years I'd have lost most of my feelings for her - but you'd be wrong. Even I was wrong.

When I first saw her again , fighting in the ally below, I couldn't believe my eyes. I just couldn't accept that after so long, she had returned to me. And when she questioned my name with her sweet and innocent vocals, I felt my heart skip a beat knowing it was truely her.

Starfire. My Starfire.

My heart was beating quickly now again as I walked over to my door and opened it, peering out into the corridor. Starfire was sleeping in my make-shift lounge and I knew she would be cold. I stealthly crept down the metal stairs of my apartment untill I set foot against the cold wood at the bottom. It was more cold than I thought.

I placed a hand on the frame of the open lounge door and looked over to the couch where she had set up bed. She had wedged herself tightly into the few blankets I could offer her.

"Nightwing?" She sat up and I froze, thinking I had been at least quiet enough not to wake her. "What are you doing up?"

"Errr..." I was suddenly lost for words as she sat up a little straighter, stretching out her arms in a cat-like manner and staring at me. "I...I came to get a glass of water."

She stared at me curiously as I crossed the room and procedded to act out my lie, a little frightened at what she might think of me if I told her the truth.

I poured a single glass of water and sculd it very quickly before walking back to the door frame.

"Erm, night?" I smiled a little, hoping she would say something to make me stay a little longer.

She continued to stare, her large emerald eyes looking me up and down before she opened her mouth slightly.

"W...would it be acceptable...."

I watched her blush as she spoke, and although I was now grinning, I tried to look away to mask my expression.

"If I was to...sleep next to you?"

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A/N - Splah, random! Are you gann'a review or do I have to eat your nose?


	2. A Simple Gesture

**Chapter Two – A Simple Gesture**

Cold. The window I had left agape in my room offered enough of a gape for a gust of chilling night air to waft through. I mentally swore at myself for opening it earlier that night. I heard Starfire shudder behind me as I lead her into the darkness of the area.

'Good one, Idiot.' My mind was now not just cursing, but taunting me as well. 'Allow her to sleep in an even colder room than the previous one.' Resisting the urge to literally slap my face with the palm of my hand, I switched on the lamp nearest to myself on the nightstand next to my bed for light.

I couldn't say no to Starfire. After waiting too long to finally see her sweet face again I couldn't bring myself to deny her what she wanted. And if she wanted to sleep in an unwelcoming icy room because I was in it, I wasn't one to say no. Rubbing my arms for warmth, I looked back to her sheepishly before glancing around at the room myself.

Yikes.

Months of neglect had pretty much turned the once moderately tidy room into one that looked like a garbage tip. Papers sprawled with various work cases, lists of suspects and other high-class information were littered around the room, my clothes were jammed into almost every single place there was room for them, electrical equipment including wires and monitors hummed silently in the background and there were other very diverse pieces of equipment that even I did not know the names or purposes of.

My bed, midpoint of my room, was possibly the only thing that was neat – or almost neat at least. The sheets were piled lazily to one side from where I had previous lay, unable to sleep because of the same beauty that was standing right beside me at this point.

"Sorry about the weather."

I had to apologise, although it felt a little silly. I didn't like the thought of Starfire being uncomfortable and I wished I could make her stay with me as restful as I could. So far I wasn't doing very well. Crossing the room, I heaved the window down to close it, drawing the curtains across afterwards to cease any possibility that the cold weather outside could get in. But it did make me wonder why of all the days she could have fallen through time that today was the day it happened.

After a long pause I heard her speak up again, her dazzlingly sweet voice drifting through the air as I spun around to view her again.

"It is okay. I quite like the snow, despite how...bitter it can be."

The dim orange lighting from my lamp seemed to cast an illusion of glow across her face. She truly was beautiful – the same Starfire from all those years ago. If only I was the same boy.

"Here..."

Picking up a warm duvet from the pile of blankets accumulated on my bed, I draped it around her shoulders tenderly and gave her a small grin. My intention was to lift her spirits, of cause. After earlier on, when she had told me what fates had befallen the others, I assumed she was very concerned for them indeed. But the result I received from my simple gesture surprised me.

She blushed.


	3. A Childhood's End

**Chapter Three – A Childhood's End**

_A/N : In this version, Starfire only went forward in time by ten years. Twenty years would make Nightwing at least 36 and that's just far too old to have fun with. Uh..no offense to any 36 year olds reading this...but you shouldn't be reading this. You should be at work. *shifty eyes*_

"It's cold...but warming one's self afterwards is enjoyable. Like victorious pain."

Starfire had crossed the room and was peering out a crack in the blinds where she could see the snow falling softly. I could barely remember the first time she had seen snow fall on Earth, but I was almost certain that when she had she had alarmed everyone in the tower and had demanded they tell her why the clouds were falling down.

"It hurts at first, but as the pain seethes away it leaves an enjoyable feeling in its place. Do you agree? It never snowed on Tamaran. But I'm sure that if it did I would have enjoyed playing in it, and then warming myself afterwards."

Tapping the tips of her index fingers together, the Tamaranean turned around and gazed in my direction. A warm smile lingered across her face, meeting my own before I abruptly let mine fade. The way she spoke of such silly things would never cease to amuse me. Even after all the years of imagining, wishing, craving to hear her ramble on once again, I was still utterly amazed by what she came up with.

"How do you keep warm?"

I arched a brow to her question as her presence moved forward and she made herself at home atop my bed, legs folded beneath herself.

"Well...I..."

It was a good question. I didn't own a heater and I didn't often think about the cold. Maybe I had grown used to it. The days had certainly grown colder with time. Jump City was in an outstandingly different climate as opposed to ten years ago.

"I do other things to take my mind off the weather."

Lifting a hand to my hair, I ran it through quickly and glanced about the weak lit room. I could tell Starfire was doing the same; scanning the notes and pieces of paper which clung to my wallpaper with blue-tack, the diagrams and maps sprawled out around the place and the electrical ware which every now and then caused a computer screen to blink on and off.

"It's nice to see some things have not changed."

With a solemn smile, Starfire hugged the duvet that was still resting across her shoulders closer to her small frame.

I could only nod as I watched. She had not changed at all, although I supposed I could expect nothing else. For her it was as if she had been with my younger self only moments beforehand. For me it was as if she had appeared after years of waiting and hoping and silently praying for her return. But I'd have to say goodbye again. She'd have to go back to her time to rectify what went wrong. To set things straight.

But it was hard to imagine letting such a beautiful creature slip away from me once again.

"Sit, Robin. You must be cold."

Patting the bed beside her, she grinned gently before tilting her head to one side to get a better look at me.

"I'm sorry. I continue to call you Robin, although you have already corrected me on the matter. Nightwing. Nightwing...I must remember it."

Rubbing the sides of her temples she closed her bright sparkling eyes for a moment in an effort to mimic what Raven used to do in the act of remembering. I sat down with a gentle chuckle, shaking my head to her. She was the same old Starfire...or should I say the same **young** Starfire, to be certain.

"Don't worry about it. Anything you choose to call me will be fine. Y'know, I don't at all mind Robin."

Reaching out in an innocently friendly gesture, I softly patted her shoulder closest to me – or, I attempted to. Instead, she moved her head very slightly and my hand came into contact with her cheek. After a moment of hesitation on my part, Starfire beamed once more and nuzzled against my hand with great affection.

"Richard..."

She was using my real name now? As soon as she spoke the word, my mouth almost dropped to the floor. How on Earth did she know that was my name? We never discussed it...did we? I couldn't even remember. It seemed like a life time ago when we had last discussed such things above the city at night, perched right on the edge of the tower.

"What about that name? I like it."

Giving me a moment to withdraw my hand from her face, I promptly folded my arms across my chest and gave her a sly grin in return

"What about if I call you Koriand'r? I like that name."

For a moment's time Starfire almost seemed hurt by my words, but it wasn't long until her stare towards me turned warm once more. I couldn't believe that I had actually remembered her full name. I in fact didn't recall ever actually memorising it.

"Call me Kory...please."

Her words almost melted from her lips as she entangled a finger in her ruby tresses while still looking my way. If I didn't know Starfire better I would almost swear that was seduction she was throwing my way. But I did know Starfire better...didn't I?


End file.
